Charity Organizations

join us enabling the poorest of the poor toimprove their own lives

Friday, June 9, 2017

I am neither a political science expert nor a commentator, but I know
some basic universal principles and ethics that should go with politics
in the civilised world. Do we hear of politicians crossing over,
switching parties or forming destructive cults within parties in mature
democracies? I believe that this happens very seldom there.

First and foremost, in those countries, the people, who aspire to become
career politicians, check the most compatible party for them based on
their principles, ideologies and conscience, before taking action. This
is the personal litmus test they all take.

Many, except for a very few, come with the supreme intention and passion
to make people’s lives better and to uphold the democratic norms and
rights of all. If they find some mismatch at some point, they leave
politics for good, keeping their good names intact, more often than not.

We
have 225 MPs in Parliament and a few thousand people in other political
structures. Strictly speaking, it is an overcrowded cadre that goes
beyond our country’s meagre means, on maintenance. But, how many of our
politicians go by their conscience or have taken the litmus test before
coming to politics? I think it’s just a few at present. For most of
them, it is a lucrative job!

In Sri Lanka, the most notable cross-over took place during President
Rajapaksa’s first term. Many UNP MPs joined the Rajapaksa
administration, betraying the party and their voters for personal gain,
on the pretext of helping the Government to win the war against the
LTTE. Why did they leave the UNP? Did the UNP change its fundamentals or
was it not to help finish the war? No!

I would not say that all of them who crossed over received pay-outs, but
certainly many of them were handsomely rewarded through ministerial
portfolios and other lucrative perks, to say the least. By and large,
this is the political calibre we have today although we boast about
democracy, Buddhist values and the like. They mostly go for personal
gain! Some of these people have now returned back to the UNP!

Having said that, I must also acknowledge a subset of MPs including some
relatively young politicians such as Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his
team of JVP MPs, Harsha De Silva, Eran Wickramaratne, Buddhika
Pathirana, Ranjan Ramanayake, Champika Ranawaka and some TNA and SLFP
MPs who make a rare exception, compared with the aforesaid opportunists.

These people seem to be engaged in principle-based ‘gentleman politics’
to an acceptable extent at least, but it is only a minority of about
50-60 MPs, in my opinion. This is a positive factor, but, it is just a
fourth of the Parliament if we go by these numbers. Not a sizeable chunk
when it comes to political dynamics, especially in a country like ours!

What the country has been through since 8 January 2015

In this analysis, it is important to look at what the country has been
through since 8 January 2015. As per the mandate, Maithripala Sirisena
and Ranil Wickremesinghe took up the topmost positions in the Government
as the Executive President and Prime Minister, respectively. However,
Ranil Wickremesinghe didn’t have the support of the majority of MPs in
Parliament singlehandedly, but the Sirisena supporters of the SLFP/UPFA
came to his rescue. The JVP and TNA also supported the progressive moves
of the Government.

In the run up to the general election held in August 2015, this
arrangement was just a temporary measure for a few months to give some
relief to the people through the budget and pass the 19th Amendment to
the Constitution in order to remove some extreme executive powers vested
in the President.

The main promise to the public was to bring about ‘Yahapalanaya’ (good
governance). But the socio-political atmosphere that prevailed pre 8
January 2015 was really toxic, law and order was hardly in force on the
supporters of the Rajapaksa administration. They could literally do
anything and go scot-free at the time! Not to mention that quite a few
used this window to accumulate wealth through illegal means and take
revenge on their opponents, etc.

Hence, the country’s cleansing process cannot be that simple as many of
the hard-core people of this calibre are still around as people’s
representatives. This is mainly due to the electoral voting system we
have in place. Also, they are not short of cash for any election! This
does not imply that all the others are saints! There are culprits in the
other political parties (UNP, SLPA/UPFA Sirisena group, etc.) too. But,
the difference is that they do not have State patronage or cover up
from their masters that the sycophants of the previous regime had, as I
believe.

At the last general election held in August 2015, we saw some SLFP
stalwarts, who are with the incumbent President, losing the election and
the Rajapaksa faction of SLPA/UPFA, the ‘Joint Opposition’ (JO),
securing about 50 MPs. In order to balance this situation and
consolidate his position, the President appointed some defeated
politicians from whom he could garner support, through the National
List.

There is one cardinal norm that we cannot forget in the democratic
world. At general elections we choose our representatives, and they in
turn represent us in Parliament for a fixed term. In the case of Sri
Lanka, we empower 225 people to represent us. The executive (President)
and these 225 MPs are entrusted in making the Legislature to realise the
aspirations of the nation. The party or the coalition that commands the
trust of the majority forms the government.

Today, we have a Unity Government (between the UNP/UPFA and a few
others) that has won the trust of about 150 MPs (two-thirds of
Parliament) headed by President Sirisena and Prime Minister
Wickremesinghe. The number of cabinet, state and deputy ministers
account for 90+ for obvious reasons (no track and the number changes
upwards all the time!).

Whether we like it or not, the Yahapalanaya process has to be worked out
through these 225 people to a large extent! This is why we see
MPs/ministers demanding facilities (they have the bargaining power now)
and the Government and President oblige most of the time to keep them
happy. Two classical cases are the sale of vehicle permits issued to the
MPs (but this has been happening since 1977) and some ministers
demanding extra luxury vehicles as their official transport.

Apparently, the President and PM are working with a lot of patience.
This is the path to ‘Yahapalanaya’ in Sri Lanka (could be so in the
other developing countries too). We must understand the reality.

Government servants and other professionals working in semi-Government
institutions are also an integral part of his equation! I believe that
we have many talented and honest professionals in the Government
service, if the political will is there to turn the country around.

Sacrificing immediate future for the sake of ‘Yahapalanaya’

The possible immediate action is only diluting the toxicity in the
system and gradual improvement of governance – cannot hurry up or upset
the applecart and lose everything so far built! In other words, as it
appears, we are compelled to sacrifice our immediate future because it
might cost us ‘Yahapalanaya’ outright (cannot afford the risk!) if
things go wrong at this stage.

Thinking of the future (long term) wholesome benefits that
‘Yahapalanaya’ could bring us when established to an acceptable level,
we the citizens should have patience now – a lot of it perhaps!

However, I am quite happy with two of the appointments the Government
made recently. Harsha De Silva and Eran Wickramaratne received
ministerial appointments where they could use their knowledge,
experience and talent to serve the masses. These are noteworthy
progressive signs!

While this process goes forward (though quite slow these days), we must
take action including the following to ensure ‘Yahapalanaya’ as part of
Sri Lankan culture for all times.

Inculcating a culture of taking the said litmus test before
joining a political party. We must maintain the multi-party system. Some
might even go to the extent of forming new political parties if they
cannot find a suitable existing one.

Political parties must properly screen the people they take
on board. Preferably, we should go for the educated who could think
outside the box. This is not only checking the paper qualifications,
education is much wider than that! Also, their social background is
important.

The holders of top positions in Government and
semi-Government institutions must be qualified and fit to hold those
respective positions. We are in the 21st century now!

To introduce the necessary adjustments to our education system to facilitate this process from a young age.

The archaic older generation, in traditional parties such as
the UNP and SLFP, should be replaced by the able young people. My gut
feeling is the younger generations are relatively incorrupt worldwide in
general.

Sporting honest prospective political leaders who have the
capability and capacity to seamlessly take over the national battens at
relay points. Unfortunately, this is not in sight yet.

People should be able to make sure that they can dismiss the
corrupt politicians from the system as soon as possible. Country
first!

Restructuring and empowering the Government service to suit 21st century challenges. Examples can be drawn from India, etc. There
is something we all must understand. Maybe we are still 10 to 15 years
or two to three parliaments away from realising our fervent wish and
hope of ‘Yahapalanaya’ (touch wood!), but it is a worthy gain we could
long, sacrifice and work for, thinking of our future generations!

(The writer is a borderless thinker and futurist. His contact email: galhena@yahoo.co.uk.)